The Perpetuity of Fate
by Providentia67
Summary: When Gabriel fled Heaven, he planned to take Castiel with him, but interference from the highest authority stopped him before he could. Many years later, the two finally meet again and Gabriel tries to reveal the truth of why he left Castiel behind and maybe even convince him to join Team Pagan instead of Team Free Will.
1. Chapter 1

The Winchesters. Who would have thought an eternity of plotting and heavenly drama would come to a boiling point with these two yahoos smack dab in the middle? Gabriel wanted to laugh. It was pathetic to think of immortal, celestial beings tripping over themselves trying to influence the actions of two mortal hunters with less brains between them than a bonobo.

So why not let the Trickster have a little fun with them? Punishment for starting the apocalypse and sparking the Michael vs. Lucifer prize fight round two. And here they had the audacity to try and avoid the fate _they_ had jumpstarted. As if they had the right.

Masquerading currently as an enthusiastic Japanese game show host, the pagan-disguised archangel took great pleasure in watching Lucifer's meat suit get it right where it hurts. Now for Michael's.

Except there was someone throwing themselves against the walls of his pocket dimension. Gabriel felt a twinge of irritation at whoever thought they could ruin his fun. He expanded his grace, planning to reinforce the walls when the feel of a familiar presence made him hesitate for a second too long.

The blue sliding doors of his game show set burst open to reveal a tall figure in a tan trench coat with messy black hair and bright blue eyes. No way.

"Cas!?" Michael-meat-suit called out to the angel with some cross between surprise, relief, and hope.

"Is this a trick?" Lucifer-condom added. The trio traded glances of confusion as Castiel assured the two humans that it was indeed him. Gabriel watched in stunned silence for a moment. He couldn't believe this was actually little Angel of Thursday, Castiel. All grown up.

"What are you doing here?" And apparently with a much deeper voice than Gabriel ever imagined the seraph would grow to have.

"Us? What are _you_ doing here?"

"Looking for you." Well, obviously. "You've been missing for days." Hm, that was Gabriel's mistake then. He didn't think anyone would take notice of the Winchester's momentary disappearance. Not for a while longer at least. Why was Castiel so invested in these two?

"Get us the hell out of here!" the younger Winchester demanded in slight desperation.

Castiel nodded, lifting his hands to touch the two Winchesters and fly them all away. "Let's go." Oh, no. Gabriel couldn't have that. Releasing the power of his grace, Gabriel revealed his presence to the angel long enough to zap him somewhere far away from the Winchesters until they could have a talk. He tried to raise his mental walls as soon as he was done, but was not fast enough to avoid hearing Castiel's disbelieving cry.

 _GABRIEL!?_

* * *

 _Gabriel, Archangel and Messenger of the Lord, frowned as he perceived the restless whispers of his brethren echo through the halls of Heaven. Above them all, Michael and Lucifer screaming at each other with Raphael striving uselessly to serve as mediator. The hushed mutterings whispered of war. Terrible, irrevocable war._

" _Gabriel, I'm scared" the fledgling at his side admitted, grasping tightly to the youngest archangel's hand. The honey-haired being, appearing no older than a young teen, pulled his hand free and crouched down so that he was almost at eye level with the young seraph. Gabriel replaced his hand on the fledgling's head, ruffling his younger brother's inky black hair._

" _Don't worry Cassie, I'm not gonna let you get hurt" he reassured the young angel with a smile. The fledgling's lips tentatively grew into a smile and he nodded. Faith restored by his older brother's promise. Rising to his feet once again, Gabriel grasped the angel Castiel's hand and started leading them towards his private corner of Heaven. "We're blowing this joint."_

 _Something in Gabriel's grace churned painfully at the thought. He and Castiel were angels. They belonged in Heaven with their brothers and their Father. But even God himself had begun pushing them towards war, and Gabriel could not bear the thought of witnessing what was surely to come. He had tried talking them down. Tried convincing the rest of the angels and fledglings to simply refuse to fight. But it was useless. Michael would not let Lucifer's rebellion against God stand and the other angels were all too eager to follow the echo of their Father's command. Regardless of the fact that none of them had even been their when He had issued it._

 _So Gabriel had decided to leave, and resolved to take Castiel with him. The Angel of Thursday was still so young, and the spirit of his grace had always resonated stronger with Gabriel's than it had with any of the other archangels. It was not too late for he and Gabriel to forge a new path for themselves. Castiel was inquisitive, curious, and took an express interest in the ever-evolving worlds that spun beyond Heaven's gates. If any fledgling could survive and grow to maturity outside of Heaven, it was Castiel. And Gabriel would be there to help him._

" _We're leaving? Why?" Castiel asked, stumbling along at a slight jog to keep up with the archangel's longer stride._

" _Michael and Lucifer aren't going to stop Cassie. There's going to be a war and if we don't leave, you and I will have to fight."_

 _Castiel gasped in horror and picked up the pace slightly. "But I don't want to fight! I can't! Fledglings don't fight."_

 _Again Gabriel's grace jerked in unease. The fact that Castiel hadn't fully reached maturity wouldn't be a problem if things got truly bad. Archangels could imbue lesser angels with grace. And Gabriel didn't doubt that Michael would force grace into Castiel to make him a fully-fledged seraph if need be. Ready and willing to fight and die for the archangel's stupid war. Just thinking of the fledgling at his side having his childhood stolen made Gabriel sick and he tightened his grip on Castiel's hand._

" _I won't let that happen Castiel. That's why we're leaving. I have friends in a place called Asgard. They've agreed to hide us. We'll be safe there." Gabriel smirked. Unlike his older brothers the Messenger had connections outside of Heaven. He already had everything arranged for he and Castiel's disappearance. New identities that Gabriel was looking forward to utilizing. And with any luck the others would assume they had died in the chaos and no one would come looking._

" _Okay, as long as I'm with you" Castiel agreed, softening Gabriel's smirk to a warm smile. Castiel was special, Gabriel could sense it even now. So he would assure that the angel could grow up outside of the influence of his overzealous siblings. Castiel would grow up free._

 _When the pair reached the secluded corner of Heaven Gabriel called his own the archangel released Castiel from his grip and placed both hands on the seraph's shoulders. "Now wait here Cas. Don't let anyone see you. I'll be right back; I just need to get one more thing before we go."_

 _Castiel looked up at his older brother nervously. "Promise?"_

 _Gabriel smirked and ruffled the fledgling's hair one more time. "Promise." Castiel nodded, faith cemented, and Gabriel took that as his que to leave. Beating his large golden wings and flying off to the vaults that held the heavenly weapons._

* * *

Gabriel left the two monkeys to run circles in his maze under the supervision of one of his projections and flew off to the small, reinforced corner he had stashed his little brother in. The small world had taken on an appearance to match the state of Castiel's grace, and Gabriel was slightly shocked to find himself standing at the top of a rocky cliff face overlooking a roiling ocean. Dark clouds in the distance suggesting an oncoming storm. Okay, so little Cassie had apparently become moody while he was away. Good to know.

"Good to see you bro." he greeted, when Castiel refused to turn from staring out at the ocean to say hi to the brother he hadn't seen in some millennia.

Castiel finally turned, face darkened in a scowl as he glared at the archangel. "I don't want to believe it's you" the young seraph admitted and Gabriel nodded his understanding.

"It must be overwhelming" he admitted.

"I want to believe you are a Trickster wearing Gabriel's face." Castiel made a gesture with his wrist and his angel blade slid into his hand. "I want to believe this blade will be enough to kill you."

Gabriel snorted in amusement and scoffed. "Yeah but we both know that's not the case, right Cassie?"

Castiel frowned and took a threatening step in Gabriel's direction. "That remains to be seen." The seraph lunged.

Gabriel just barely had time to avoid taking an angel blade to the face and waved his hands in shock. "Woah, whoa, whoa! Let's all just calm down!" he objected, frowning as he was forced to draw his own archangel blade to parry Castiel's furious attacks that refused to cease.

"Calm down? Calm down!?" Gabriel resisted the urge to simply use his grace to subdue Castiel by force. He wanted to talk to the seraph, and he doubted tying him down would win him any points. "Release the Winchesters!" he demanded, making a particularly rash swing towards Gabriel's neck.

The Trickster deflected the blow, but Castiel's momentum sent him reeling forward and Gabriel had to jump back to avoid accidentally slicing the young angel open with his blade. As it was, Castiel still hissed in pain as the blade nicked him across the face, just barely missing an eye. "Dammit Cassie, you're gonna hurt yourself" Gabriel rebuked him. "Don't make me do something we'll both regret!"

Castiel snarled, and in the pocket dimension, lighting flared across the sky in response. "Not until you let the Winchesters out!" Growing frustrated with the seraph's refusal to listen, Gabriel snatched the angel's wrist as he lunged once again and twisted it enough to force Castiel to drop his angel blade. One more and the angel dropped to his knees, arm now held painfully behind his back. Gabriel didn't like putting his younger brother in this condition, but if that was what it took to make the seraph listen, so be it.

"Alright enough" Gabriel commanded, stepping a bit closer. "There're some things I need to explain to you."

"I've heard enough of your lies" Castiel huffed bitterly and jerked his head back to crash into the archangel's. Not enough to hurt, he wasn't nearly strong enough to do so. But enough to shock Gabriel into releasing his hold. Before the Trickster could get his bearings and snatch Castiel back, the angel threw himself out of this corner of the pocket dimension and back towards the Winchesters.

Well, at least the kid still had his spunk.

* * *

 _Sneaking inside the vault was easy, and the young archangel carefully scooped up the Horn of Gabriel, the only thing that could forcefully recall him back to Heaven once he went missing. Instrument in hand, Gabriel exited the vaults and started making his way back to his awaiting brother._

" _Gabriel." Gabriel's grace seized at the all-powerful voice that called his name._

 _Turning towards the voice the archangel dropped his gaze to the floor and resisted the instinct to drop the stolen weapon. "Father."_

" _What are you doing Gabriel?" Gabriel's wings twitched at the question. As if God didn't know exactly what Gabriel had been planning._

" _What does it look like I'm doing Dad? Leaving." Was God going to try and stop him? Well he wouldn't. Not unless He put a stop to this war before it started._

" _That is unimportant Gabriel." What? He, an archangel, abandoning Heaven wasn't important? Gabriel felt his grace twist in sadness at being so easily dismissed, even if it did mean leaving was going to be much easier than anticipated. No one likes being told by their Father that they didn't matter. "I am speaking of your intent to take Castiel."_

 _Gabriel froze. "I don't know what you're talking about."_

 _Above him thunder boomed and the very foundations of Heaven shook. Gabriel felt his legs give out beneath him, forcing the archangel to his knees, wings shaking in fear. The Messenger bit his lip to keep from making pitiful noises of distress. "DO NOT PRESUME TO LIE TO ME."_

 _Gabriel choked on the force of his Father's command and he recanted. "Yes. I am taking Castiel with me. We are leaving Heaven. For good."_

" _No."_

" _You can't stop me. Free will remember?"_

" _Not in this. I will not permit it. You may leave. But Castiel must remain."_

 _Gabriel balked at the statement. As if he would leave his favorite little brother to become another faceless pawn in his brother's conflict. He wouldn't let it happen. "Why? He doesn't deserve what will happen if he stays. He's too young and Michael will tear his childhood away if I don't take him with me!"_

 _The pressure bearing down on the archangel eased and a sorrowful aura brushed Gabriel's grace. "It is as it must be."_

 _The archangel sprung to his feet. Glaring up at where the presence of his Father was strongest. "Then tell me WHY!"_

" _He has a destiny Gabriel. The road ahead is long and perilous, and Castiel is one of the three who will be needed to see it through."_

 _Gabriel shook his head in denial, hands curling into fists. "Well screw destiny! He's just a kid. YOUR kid! And you've never even bothered to show your face to him! So tell me, what right do you have to make this decision?"_

 _The imposing force returned in full and Gabriel collapsed to the ground, groaning in pain. "I AM THE LORD GOD" the voice of his Father proclaimed. "Now you may choose. Leave Castiel here and join your pagans, or take up arms with Michael against Lucifer. These are your only options. Either way, Castiel will stay, and he will fight."_

 _Gabriel felt the pressure on his grace ease enough to climb to his hands and knees. He couldn't fight. Not his brothers. But leaving meant abandoning Castiel. So instead he begged. "But I promised him. I promised Cas I would take him with me. He's waiting for me. Please Father, don't make me do this." Something unfamiliar pricked at the corners of Gabriel's eyes and for the first time in his long existence the archangel realized he was crying._

" _That does not matter. I have already sent Michael to retrieve him." Gabriel's heart seized and he frantically scanned through the celestial voices floating through his mind for either that of the fledgling or his eldest brother._

" _Michael? What are you doing here?" Cassie._

" _Father sent me to retrieve you. Lucifer has betrayed us and plans to make war against God. Now come. We must join our brothers in battle." In his mind's eye, Gabriel could see Castiel backing away nervously from the archangel's outstretched hand._

" _But Gabriel-"_

" _Has left." Castiel's face turned stricken, bright blue eyes wide in disbelief and betrayal. Gabriel shook his head. No, he hadn't. But the archangel knew he had been gone too long. And it was Michael's word against an absent Gabriel's. "Now come" Michael continued. "You must be made ready for battle and placed into a garrison."_

 _Gabriel watched helplessly as Castiel's small fledgling hand took Michael's and the small angel was immediately encased in bright light. The Messenger turned his face away and when the light faded he felt without looking back a new presence of a fully-fledged seraph. Young, but no longer a fledgling by any standard. Gabriel could not bear to look back and blocked the scene out of his mind._

" _Now, what is your choice?" Gabriel did not lift his head towards his father's voice, but did climb to his feet, grip tight on the Horn of Gabriel._

" _I'm leaving." Gabriel squeezed his eyes shut tight, trying to fight the swell of emotion welling inside him. He turned and flexed his wings in preparation for flight._

" _Gabriel." He paused, but still did not look back. "You will see him again." Maybe God was attempting to comfort him. But that hardly mattered under the circumstances._

 _The young archangel scoffed. After what just happened, he doubted such a reunion would be a welcomed one in Castiel's eyes. "Screw you." Gabriel took flight with nothing but the sound of rustling feathers left in his wake._

* * *

Gabriel really didn't want to be rough with Castiel, but he couldn't let the Winchesters discover his identity. At least not yet. So with a surge of grace he threw the seraph back against a wall and willed a piece of duct tape over the young angel's mouth.

"Hi, Castiel!" he pseudo-greeted his younger brother with a forced smile. Gabriel lifted his hand to send the angel back to the cliff, hesitating for only a moment as he caught the frightened and concerned expression on the angel's face. Directed, once again, towards the Winchesters. It only took a sweep of his hand to block the lesser angel from this corner of the pocket dimension and Gabriel tracked the younger's path just to make sure Castiel made contact safely. The young angel really needed to stop struggling so much, it was taking all of Gabriel's self-control to keep from accidentally injuring him.

"You know him?" No shit Sherlock. If only the giant moose knew.

"Where did you just send him?" Gabriel turned his attention back to the two idiots as he took in Michael-suit's tone. It had just a hint too much protectiveness and righteous anger in it. Gabriel did not appreciate the insinuation, forget the fact that these two thought he was one of their common monsters, or at most a pagan god.

It was about time the three of them had a talk.

After making his point clear, Gabriel once more dive-bombed the Losechesters off into another TV land special and flew off back to where he had stashed Castiel. The setting had not changed, but this time the archangel had taken precautions. Not wanting to fight the young angel anymore, Cas was slumped against the side of the rock face with duct tape still over his mouth as well an encircling his arms and legs so he could not move.

The minute Gabriel made himself visible Castiel's struggles multiplied. The lesser angel let loose several muffled protests bordering on panic as he tried to wriggle free as well as get away from the archangel. Gabriel lifted his hands in placation. "Whoa hey, Cassie, relax. I'm not gonna hurt you, kiddo." In response Castiel just narrowed his eyes in a glare and pressed himself further back against the rock. Gabriel sighed and plopped himself down beside his younger brother, reaching towards the duct tape over his mouth. "I'm gonna take this off, okay? No screaming or biting please." He pulled the silver tape away gently and breathed a sigh of relief when Castiel didn't immediately start shouting at him.

Letting his head fall back against the rock Castiel sent a side-long glare at his older brother. "What have you done with Sam and Dean?"

Gabriel rolled his eyes with a groan. "Always about tweedle-dee and tweedle-dumbass. Is that really all you care about Cassie?"

"Let me go Gabriel."

"No." Castiel huffed and renewed his attempts to get free of Gabriel's bindings. The archangel placed a hand on the lesser angel's shoulder and pushed him back. "Look. We need to talk."

Castiel turned his face away. "I have nothing to say to a lying coward like you."

Ouch. "That hurts Cassie" Gabriel laughed, hiding the sting stabbing through his grace at the condemnation. "Is that really what you think of me?"

Finally, the lesser angel turned to face the elder archangel with a deep frown. "What else did you expect? You promised to take me with you." For the first time Castiel's cold and angry façade broke to reveal a flash of confusion and hurt. "Why did you lie?"

"I didn't." Castiel rolled his eyes; jeez where did his sweet little Cassie get all this attitude? Clearly the kid had been spending too much time around Dean Winchester. Gabriel shook the lesser angel's shoulder, "it's true Castiel-"

"Then what happened?" the lesser angel snapped.

Gabriel bit his lower lip and turned away under Castiel's scrutinizing look. "Father." Castiel's anger was quickly smothered and his face morphed into a carefully crafted mask of neutrality. Yeah, that's what he thought. "Remember when I went to the vaults?" A careful nod. "He was there. He told me he wouldn't let me take you. I could either go alone or join the war."

"So you left."

"Yeah, I left."

For a minute the two angel's shared an intense moment of staring. Carefully reading the state of one another's grace. Castiel broke eye contact first. "Let me go Gabriel."

The archangel bristled. "Really, that's all you have to say? Broken record Cassie."

"It doesn't change anything, does it? What's done is done. You made your choice and I have my charges to protect."

Oh and didn't Gabriel have a thing or two to say about _that_ little detail. Gabriel opened his mouth to broach the subject when a ping went off in his head. Looked like the dancing monkeys had finally had enough. The Trickster grinned. "Hold that thought." Castiel opened his mouth to protest but Gabriel snapped the duct tape back on before he could get out a sound.

"Mmph mm!"

"Relax, let big bro handle this" Gabriel climbed to his feet, wiping imaginary dirt off his pants. He flashed a cheeky grin at the struggling seraph. "I'll be back." Crap. Both angels flinched at the phrase and suddenly Gabriel didn't feel like smirking anymore. "Just sit tight and try not to hurt yourself" he ordered, pointing a finger down at the angel before flying off to where Sam and Dean were doing a crappy Knight Rider routine.

* * *

Okay, Gabriel would be the first to admit, being trapped in holy fire by two idiot humans was embarrassing. But not so much as having to face Castiel's look of complete and utter disappointment after being forced to release the young angel under the older Winchester's threats.

As the sprinklers put out the burning oil that surrounded him, Gabriel watched the Winchesters turn to leave the warehouse feeling more shame than the archangel ever had in his existence. "Castiel, wait" he called, just loud enough that the angel alone would hear. The seraph froze at the doorway and for a fleeting moment, Gabriel feared he would simply leave. But then, shoulders sagging slightly, Castiel turned to face him; closing the door so they could have some manner of privacy.

"If you plan on throwing me into another pocket dimension I warn you to leave the Winchesters out of it. Or the next time I'll advise them to follow through with their threats." The lesser angel's voice was steady and Gabriel didn't believe for one second that he was bluffing.

The Messenger threw his hands into the air and groaned. "I'm not going to- Look, enough about the Winchesters. Jeez, for the love of Dad Cassie, can't you see what siding with them is going to do to you!?"

Castiel's eyebrows furrowed and he tilted his head in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

For the second time that day Gabriel was thrown for a loop by the ignorance of the people he was talking to. "Do you honestly think they care about you? Cause to me it doesn't seem like they give a damn that your grace is dwindling because of them. They just want an angel in their back pocket so they can avoid dealing with the consequences of their own actions."

Castiel crossed his arms and lifted his head defiantly. "I seem to recall Dean Winchester threatening to deep fry you if you did not release me. I believe that qualifies as some level of concern. And they _will_ stop the apocalypse. It doesn't have to be fought Gabriel. Sam and Dean will save the world."

"Pfft. You honestly believe that? You believe in them that much?" Gabriel asked, letting his concern for the younger angel's safety begin to leak out.

Castiel's face softened ever so slightly and the corners of the seraph's lips twitched upwards. "As much as I ever believed in you." And if that didn't just break the archangel's heart.

Gabriel dropped his gaze to the ground with a self-depreciating smile. "And look how that turned out" he chuckled before looking back up with all seriousness. "They're going to get you killed Cassie."

"Perhaps. But it is not as though I have not died before" Castiel revealed with a nonchalant shrug. "Goodbye, Gabriel." The young angel turned to leave once again and Gabriel swiftly flew so he was standing right at Castiel's back.

"Come with me."

Castiel turned with a look of surprise on his face. "What?"

Gabriel's heart sped up with hope as he grabbed his younger brother by the arms. Why hadn't he thought of this before, it was genius! "Come with me. Like we planned all those years ago. You and me. We can forget about Earth and Lucifer and Michael. As long as you're with me I can replenish your grace and we can sit this whole thing out. What do you say little bro?"

Gabriel could see it. Just him and Cassie. Loki and… well, whatever new name he would come up with. It didn't really matter. He and Castiel could ride out the apocalypse with the other pagans and after a few centuries, when whatever was left of humanity started to repopulate the world -because honestly those monkeys bred like rabbits- the two of them could wreak some classy Trickster havoc.

Gabriel couldn't imagine anything better, but Castiel was shaking his head. "No Gabriel."

The rejection stung, and when his little Angel of Thursday pulled away, Gabriel couldn't find the strength to stop him. "Please, Cassie" he begged. Damn it all Gabriel, archangel and Messenger of the Lord, was begging. "Don't make me watch this destroy you."

"It won't."

"It will. This road you're going down, with those two, Dad told me that day. He told me it's gonna be long and bloody. And those two codependent numskulls are going to be so wrapped up in worrying about each other that they won't even remember to think about you. They'll abandon you."

But Castiel wasn't listening anymore. He was already opening the door again. "Then so be it."

Gabriel called after him, "I won't watch them ruin you Cas. If you walk out now I won't be around to catch you when they let you fall." He wouldn't be able to bear it.

"I wouldn't ask that of you Gabriel." Even as Castiel said it, Gabriel caught the hitch in the lesser angel's grace, and that caused a respondent stab in his own. Castiel had already been denounced by the rest of his family, now Gabriel had just done the same. Bravo Gabe, bravo.

"Cas-"

The door to the warehouse shut, not even slamming, just a gentle click and Castiel was gone. Gabriel could sense his younger brother sliding into the back of the Winchesters' impala and traced his grace as they took off down the road.

Gabriel only lingered a moment longer before flying away. Praying to a father who wasn't even listening that maybe someday he would get the chance to make things right. Or at least, that He might watch over the lonely little seraph who was trying his best to make it down the road that no other angel, Gabriel included, had the courage to.


	2. Chapter 2

Angry sex was great. Not as good as deep-fried Oreos dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with mini marshmallows… but still pretty high up there. And for the love of Dad, angry sex with a pissed off pagan goddess of destruction was even better.

"Mm… Loki, don't think I've forgiven you quite yet."

And the _hands._ Yeah Gabriel could do some amazing shit with six wings, but hot damn! Of all the women he'd had a tumble in the primordial hay with, pagan goddesses, mortals alike, Kali was probably the first he'd come across who could truly sate a frustrated archangel. Even if it was because she was angry with him half the time.

Gabriel took a moment and paused in his ministrations with a smirk. "Aw babe, you and I both know this isn't about making up."

Kali chuckled and hummed in satisfaction as the pseudo-god resumed his previous actions. "True. Though I'm curious, what has you so worked up that you'd come crawling back here? If Baldur shows up there will be hell to pay." Loki snorted and felt content enough to ignore the question and go on with the happy-fun-times, but it seemed Kali's curiosity had been spiked. She grunted and shoved him up and away and Gabriel allowed it with a small pout. "Loki." Her warning tone proved enough that she wouldn't let the matter drop and the archangel sighed.

"Look, it's nothing. Just a little family drama."

One of the goddess' well sculpted brows lifted in disbelief. "Family drama, really? Since when do you have a family?"

Gabriel's frown became genuine at that little dig. "Let's just say I had an unfortunate run-in with two headless chickens and their frustratingly loyal puppy, and the chickens won. Stole my puppy too."

Kali rolled her eyes. "I'm not following you at all Loki."

"Look do you want to keep doing what we were doing, or not?" Kali shrugged at the ultimatum and dragged the archangel back down into her bed.

As the night went on, Gabriel's mind stewed even as his body went on autopilot. He had to actively remind himself that creating a projection to play with Kali was kind of defeating the point of his visit. Especially if he was just doing it so he could think about his little brother.

 _Which_ , now that he thought about it, was weird. And gross.

Even still, as much as he tried to distract himself, a small portion of his attention was continuously tracing the pattern of grace he had tagged back during the whole TV Land debacle. Not spying really, just reassuring himself of its presence. After all, every moment Castiel managed to keep himself alive despite the Winchesters' best efforts was a chance the young seraph might change his mind, ditch the old ball-and-chain, and come join Team Pagan. Gabriel was even willing to make t-shirts with rhinestones and glitter. Who could say no to that?

For several weeks that had sufficed. But a shift in the feel of Castiel's grace just recently had sent foreboding shivers through Gabriel, and that had driven the archangel to search out Kali for distraction. Something was _wrong_. It wasn't with his vessel or his grace, though his powers were still draining. Yet somehow, Gabriel sensed the other angel drifting away. Idly, without even realizing he was doing so until he heard the voices, Gabriel focused on Castiel's grace.

 _I REBELLED FOR THIS!?_

Gabriel stilled. "Loki what-"

"Shush." The archangel was off the Hindu goddess and across the room within a heartbeat and directed his full attention to Castiel's grace. Quickly tracing it to an alley near the home of Bobby Singer. It looked like Winchester #1 was there too. An unusual frown on the Trickster's face, Gabriel ignored Kali as she stormed from the room and felt his own consternation build as he listened to the confrontation going down halfway around the world.

He had never, in all of his existence, heard his little Cassie speak with such immutable rage. Such complete betrayal. Echoes of his true voice were even breaking through and Gabriel had to wonder if Dean would be able to take it if the angel got much angrier.

 _I gave everything for you. And THIS is what you give me?_

The light above Kali's bed shattered as Gabriel clenched his fists at his sides. He got some satisfaction hearing the sound of Castiel beating the shit out of Michael's meat suit, but wanted to do it himself. _He_ wouldn't hold back like the seraph obviously was.

He listened a while longer, anticipation building as everything seemed to come to a head. Castiel was accumulating his grace, more than enough to smite Dean Winchester clear out of existence, and Gabriel flexed his wings.

As soon as it was over the Messenger would wing his way over and whisk the younger angel away before the inevitable guilt set in. As far as Gabriel was concerned, Castiel's part in this mess was done. He'd replenish Castiel's grace and carry him far away from anything and everything that meant him harm.

Dean had given up. Michael would send one of his lackeys to resurrect his meat suit, Dean would say yes, and they'd get this show on the road. And so long as he and Cassie were on the opposite side of the universe when that happened, you wouldn't catch him complaining.

 _Do it._

Come on, Castiel.

 _Just do it!_

Smite the crap out of the monkey.

Castiel was reaching out.

Gabriel's wings were already halfway pulling him into the ether.

Instead of meeting oblivion, the Michael Sword dropped unconscious, and the internal injuries he'd sustained from the angel's beating began knitting themselves together at Castiel's touch.

Gabriel dropped back into the corporeal world with something of grim finality. He could almost see Castiel standing over his limp charge, grace sputtering to try and right itself after the exertion. The angel leaned against the brick wall of the alley, chest heaving and wings shuddering.

Why?

Castiel dropped to one knee beside the elder Winchester and coughed. Gabriel's grace thrummed with an aching concern and without conscious thought he found himself sending waves of celestial energy across the realms to brush against the dying blue light that was Castiel and buoy him back to life.

It spoke of how close the seraph was riding the edge of the abyss that Castiel didn't question the energy flooding him or recognize the archangel's touch, and Gabriel was quick to mask it and pull away before he had the wherewithal to do so.

"Dammit, Cassie."

"Who's Cassie?"

Gabriel stiffened and threw up every mental wall he had the instant Kali spoke. He hadn't noticed her return.

"No one."

Arms wrapped around him, and a warm fire brushed against the back of his neck. "Another goddess? You can invite her if you want. If I can bring Baldur, I don't care."

Gabriel choked on air, "What- No! Hell, no!" and buried his face in his hands to try and smother the image that came to mind. "Ugh, that'll haunt me for the next thousand years."

Kali stepped back and crossed her arms. Gabriel could see she was growing angry with him again, but it also seemed she was trying to tamp it down. Her face held something akin to sympathy as she amended her inquiry. "Is this the puppy that was stolen by pheasants?"

"Chickens."

A fireball was lobbed at his head and Gabriel let it phase through a copy of himself as he flew to the opposite side of the room. Kali spun on him and scowled. "And yeah, okay. Cassie's the puppy."

Kali nodded. "What happened?"

"I thought he'd finally come to his senses. Turns out he's still stuck on seeing his little save-the-chickens crusade to the end. Even if it kills him."

The Hindu goddess hummed and pushed Gabriel back until he was once again sprawled out over her bed with Kali curled beside him. She rested her head on his chest and let her multiple arms trace nonsense patterns over his skin. He ignored her for the most part and just stared up at the broken light in the ceiling.

"I think I broke your lightbulb. Ooh, that makes me think of a joke. Okay, how many pagan gods does it take to change a lightbulb?"

"Loki." At the stern command, Gabriel shifted his focus back to Kali, who was giving him a serious stare down.

"What?"

"If your concern is for the pup's safety, then take him back. Surely two mortal fowl cannot best the god of mischief?"

And that thought was just so ridiculous that the archangel couldn't help but laugh and press a kiss to the back of Kali's nearest palm. "Nah, they couldn't. But it's a bit more complicated than that. Cassie's stubborn. It's part of why I like him so much, but it also means he won't leave. And if I take him away by force he'll never stop fighting to get away. Not to mention the fact that he'll probably hate me for the rest of eternity. More than he already does."

Kali huffed and pressed a searing kiss to his sternum. "I've never seen you this conflicted about something." She burnt a trail of pecks down Gabriel's chest then followed it back up as they healed. "I'm jealous."

The pseudo-god smirked. "Aw, Babe. You know you've got a special place in this little black heart of mine." He rolled over and pinned the destroyer goddess beneath him. "So… got any advice for me?"

Not expecting a reply, he ducked his head and focused his attention on… certain activities. Kali's voice, and a pair of her hands cradling his face and tugging it back up to meet her eyes, shocked him into stillness.

"Some battles must be fought, Loki. No matter the risk. And sometimes it is better to beg forgiveness than let inaction cost you dear. The world is quickly becoming dangerous for us with the Judeo-Christian apocalypse approaching. You should collect your pup before the summit. Once we take the Winchesters, it'll mean war with the angels."

Gabriel sighed and let himself flop down beside Kali. The last thing he wanted to do was think about _that_ incoming shit show on top of everything else. "Darling, I'm a lover, not a fighter."

"If that were true, Loki I would never have let you into my bed. Although, Baldur would never let mortals lay claim to what is his."

The archangel groaned. "Jeez, does everything have to be about Baldur with you?"

The smirk on Kali's face revealed she knew exactly how the mention of the Norse god rankled the Trickster. And she was not above using every dirty trick she had to achieve her goals.

"Then go reclaim your pup."

A pout made its way onto Gabriel's face. "Fine. I will." He wondered if Cas and Kali would get along. Given how well both could get under the archangel's skin, he guessed they'd be making his life a living hell once they got over the species barrier.

Apparently noticing his drift in focus, a second set of Kali's hands moved down. Ooh, if that was his reward for agreeing with Kali, he might have to consider appeasing her more often. "Right after this."

* * *

He was asleep with Kali in his arms a few hours later, or as close to sleep as archangels got, when he heard it.

 _Gabriel?_

It was tentative. Guarded, and remarkably vulnerable, but also resigned in a way that had the Messenger shooting out of the goddess's bed in a fraction of an instant.

Castiel. His little brother was actually praying to him. Calling out to his grace like a distress beacon. Gabriel's mind raced, formulating a response that wouldn't immediately broadcast his location to the Host, but Castiel continued before it left him.

 _Gabriel, I don't know if you're listening… Or if you care. But I just… please, I need someone to hear me._

Gabriel shifted into the ether so he wouldn't be disturbed if Kali woke.

 _Dean… Dean's given up. He wants to say yes. I suppose you were right, about him. About everything. You must be pleased._

Sympathy washed over Gabriel's grace and his wings twitched with the urge to wrap around the lesser angel. He felt some manner of satisfaction that he'd been right in his appraisal of the Winchester's resolve, but he also knew how it felt to have such faith in someone and be let down.

It wasn't something he'd wish on anyone.

'You believe in them that much?'

'As much as I ever believed in you.'

And now Castiel was feeling it, again. In that moment Gabriel's hatred of Dean Winchester could rival the level of the demonic.

 _I don't know what to do anymore. I can't go back to the Host. I won't. So, I suppose the only thing left to do is see this to the end._

What did that mean? Gabriel used Castiel's prayer to begin triangulating the angel's location.

 _Zachariah has taken Adam Milligan to serve as substitute for Michael. I will help the Winchesters reclaim their brother. It's the only thing left I can do for them now._

Who in Dad's name was Adam Milligan? Why did the dynamic duo give a shit when they were ready to let the world go boom? Clearly there were more important things for them to focus on.

Ice lanced through his grace as Castiel's flickering essence shifted. Something wasn't right. Something was very, very, not right.

 _Brother, if this is the end… I wish I could have gone with you._

Gabriel took flight and raced across creation, releasing his power further than he had since the day he'd fled from Heaven. If they had been looking, doubtless every angel in existence, Michael and Lucifer included, would have recognized him.

The very fringes of Gabriel's immense presence brushed against Castiel's diminished grace, and the archangel could taste fear. Fear of pain. Fear of returning to nothingness. Fear of what would be left when he'd gone. So much fear.

'Castiel, you idiot. Wait! Don't do anything stupid!' Gabriel cried out in response, but the angel was too far fallen to hear the archangel return his prayer.

 _Please, just… even if our brothers curse my name beside the Great Adversary, I ask you not to hate me._

Gabriel manifested inside a dark warehouse in Van Nuys. Across the room, beside what appeared to be a pocket dimension with Michael's grace slathered all over it, was Castiel surrounded by four angels.

"What are you waiting for?" Even weaponless and next to graceless, the other angels eyed the young seraph with caution. "Come on."

They lunged, Gabriel opened his mouth to command the lesser angels to halt, and Castiel slammed his hand over a bloody banishing sigil that had been carved into his chest.

It was too large, too intricate. He couldn't have done it himself.

One of the Winchesters had _carved a death sentence into his brother_.

The cursed lines flared with celestial light.

FATHER PLEASE.

The Angel of Thursday shattered.

Gabriel braced each of his six wings and the enormity of his true form against the absolute authority of the banishing spell, but even the archangel was not immune. His vessel cried out as fractured pieces of Castiel's grace buffeted him across the cosmos and he curled his very self around what wisps of Castiel he could grasp even as they dissolved into nothing within his very hands.

When the torrent ceased, Gabriel regained control of his essence somewhere beyond Saturn's rings.

Then, in full force of his true form, Gabriel screamed.

Worlds died, civilizations were laid to waste in an instant, and in depths of His apathy, He turned away in the face of His Messenger's anguish.

* * *

 _Gabriel caught the fledgling before he could plant a careless foot on the strange little fish crawling onto shore._

" _Don't step on that fish, Castiel," he chided, snickering a little at the look of clear bewilderment and fascination on his younger brother's face. "Big plans for that fish."_

 _Castiel fluttered his wings and nestled himself into the space between Gabriel's uppermost set of wings. From his perch, he peered over the archangel's shoulder to watch the fish waddle its way further into the sand._

" _Why? What'll happen if I step on it?" Gabriel shifted to meet the lesser angel's eyes and let their foreheads knock together._

" _It'll die, knucklehead."_

 _Castiel's head listed to the side in a funny little tilt and he squinted his eyes as if trying to tell if the archangel was fooling him in some way. "But then it'd go to Heaven. Isn't that good?"_

" _Huh." Gabriel canted his own head and considered the question for a moment. "I guess. But remember Cassie, to everything there is a season. We should let things run their course. And that means not stepping on them." He puffed up the feathers of his wings so that they brushed and tickled Castiel's sides. The fledgling giggled and bat his own black wings in retaliation until Gabriel let his settle again._

" _Gabriel?"_

" _Hm?"_

" _If things go to Heaven when they die. What happens to us when we die?"_

 _Gabriel plucked Castiel from his back, held the small form of the seraph in his arms, and frowned. "You mean angels?"_

 _Castiel nodded. "Mhmm."_

" _Angels don't die, kiddo. We're too awesome"_

 _Castiel's face pinched in confusion. "Ever?"_

" _Eh~" Gabriel shrugged. "I guess it's possible. But I don't see why it would happen. Only an angel or Dad could destroy another angel."_

 _The fledgling nodded. "But_ if _an angel did die. Where would they go?"_

 _Gabriel shuddered at the thought and tucked Castiel close to his chest and let his chin nestle in the young angel's hair. He let his grace ebb and flow with the seraph's and washed feelings of love and protection over him._

" _Nowhere, bucko. I guess they'd just, disappear."_

 _Castiel's grace hooked tightly into Gabriel's and the fledgling clung to him with singular intent. "Don't ever die, Gabriel."_

 _Despite the grim direction their conversation had taken, Gabriel smiled. "Don't worry Cas. I won't. Promise."_

* * *

Eons, or perhaps mere fractions of an instant, may have passed over the duration of Gabriel's suffering cry. But when it was over, in the stead of mourning was dark and fiery rage. He flew.

Gabriel zeroed his focus on the Winchester brothers and hovered, looming, above them as they fled Michael's pocket dimension. He could feel his elder brother approaching and for a moment, considered delivering all three of the monkeys to him on a silver platter.

But by the looks of things, and Zachariah's burnt out wings, it seemed the situation had once again changed. What do you know? Dean said 'no' because Sammy had faith in him.

He'd had the faith of an angel at his back and it hadn't been enough. But the boy with the demon blood? Stop the presses!

So, what? Gabriel had to lose _his_ little brother so that Dean could come to his senses and keep both of his?

No.

Gabriel was not just the Messenger. He was the Angel of Justice.

He would not have it.

It was pitiful how little effort it took to stay Adam Milligan's footsteps and slam the door to the pocket dimension shut in front of him. Gabriel wouldn't touch Sam or Dean. For the love of Castiel he would let his brother's charges be. But Dean Winchester did not get to come out of this with a win.

Gabriel would see him loose a brother this day.

He could hear Adam calling to Dean. Pleading for help. He willed the doorway to burn with the heat of celestial flames as Dean called back. From opposite the dimensional barrier, he sensed Michael, Prince of the Archangels and the Angelic Host, arrive.

" _Gabriel. You've returned."_

Gabriel shied away from the brush of his elder brother's grace. _"I came because our brother is dead. Not for you."_

Michael's grace bristled with indignation. _"Many of our brethren have died before this day. Why now?"_

The Messenger flared with pain and emptiness at the loss of the Angel of Thursday. Michael accepted the response with little reaction.

" _I see. Do not mourn, Gabriel. Castiel was condemned the day he turned from Heaven and Fell. Now, deliver the Michael Sword and Lucifer's vessel to me."_

Gabriel lashed out with his grace and fortified the barriers of the pocket dimension. Effectively locking the Great General inside his own green room. _"No. Keep the spare, but I won't give you Castiel's charges."_

" _GABRIEL."_ Gabriel could have laughed. He had been spoken down to with the full might of their Father, Michael's pitiful display could not command him.

" _No, Michael. I'm leaving. And you will not pursue me or I swear on the name of our Father that you will be fighting a war on two fronts."_

Gabriel flew away and back to the bed of Kali. The Hindu goddess accepted him into her arms, and if she was surprised by the waves of distress he emanated, she did not show it.

"The pup?"

Gabriel shook his head and let himself sink into the pagan's warmth. "You said the others are meeting?"

She nodded, and ran a hand through the curls of his vessel's hair. "Soon. Once we've tracked the Winchesters down."

"Good." He gave the goddess a Trickster smile. "Just tell me when and where."

Kali smiled and gave him her word that he would know the time and place. "Soon, Loki. We will show the archangels that they may not have their way. We will bring down upon them the hammer of the gods."


End file.
